Rack for neckties and the like



Dec. 6, 1938. H. FREY RACK FOR NECKTIES AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 15, 1936 qluilll illiill INVENTOR.

HEN/fr FEEY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES RACKFOR NECKTIES AND THE LIKE Henry Frey, Oakland, Calif., assignor of onethird to Jules H. Goulet, Oakland, Calif, and

one-third to Roger D.

Calif.

Williams, Alameda,

Application October 13, 1936, Serial No. 105,395

2 Claims.

The invention relates to a rack designed to be attached to a wall or the like for supporting for ready accessibility a large number of neckties, belts and like articles of apparel.

An object of the invention is to provide a device 'of the character described which may be utilized to support a large number of ties in a relatively small space, and at the same time support the ties so that each individual tie will be exposed to view.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which will permit of the ready removal, as well as, replacement of the ties, and which will support all of the ties in such manner as to avoid wrinkling thereof, and permit the freedom necessary to enable the ties to readily resume their original smooth form.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack of the character described in which the same parts cooperate to grip and hold individually a plurality of ties, yet are caused to independently grip each tie with an equal force regardless of the number of ties held in the rack.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rack with all of the above mentioned features which can be made With but a single part.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention, which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rack constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the rack with portions of several ties shown operatively held in the rack.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the rack taken substantially on the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the device comprises a rack member 2, here shown in the form of a wire 3, bent sinuously so as to provide a plurality of coplanar loops 4 which are spaced to provide recesses 6 whose rear end is closed by a. curved portion 1 which connects adjoining loops. What may be termed the entrance to the recesses is located at the front of the rack and is formed between the (Cl. 211l) closed ends of the adjoining loops. The ties are arranged to be inserted into the recesses through the entrances thereto and preferably the entrances are left slightly open so as to facilitate the insertion or removal of the ties into or out When a number of ties are inserted in the recesses the hanging portions of the superimposed ties will overlie corresponding portions of the ties beneath, and consequently even when the rack is completely filled with ties, the edges of each tie will remain fully exposed at the front of the rack.

It is desirable that each tie be held in the recess and resiliently engaged by the adjoining loops with sufiicient pressure to insure retention of each tie in its independent recess during the removal or placement of a tie in an adjacent recess. At the same time it is desirable that the gripping force of the loops be not so great as to prevent ready insertion or withdrawal of the ties. Since, as will be seen, two loops are utilized as a gripping element for each recess, and at the same time each loop is utilized as a gripping element for two recesses, it will be evident that when a tie is held in one of such recesses, the loops defining same will be moved toward the adjacent loops and thereby cause, unless otherwise prevented, a constriction of the entrances to adjoining recesses and the consequent increased resistance to the insertion or withdrawal of a tie into or out of such latter recesses. Therefore, to arrange for an even gripping of the ties by the loops automatically and regardless of the number of ties in the rack, forms an important part of my invention. In order to provide for the gripping aforesaid, I arrange for the mounting of the rack member in such a manner that the rack will automatically expand or contract longitudinally so as to position the loops closer or further apart, in accordance with the number of ties engaged in the rack. To accomplish such feature in a simple but effective manner, I arrange to fix one portion of the rack against longitudinal displacement while another portion spaced therefrom is mounted to permit longitudinal movement. .As here shown, one end 8 of the rack is designed to be fixed in position by the fastening 9, while the other end I2 is slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in a suitable guide or hearing I3. With this arrangement, when a tie is inserted in one of the recesses the rack may expand substantially as a whole, and accordingly the loops engaged with the tie will not have to bear the entire burden produced by the insertion of the tie, and at the same time the original space will be maintained between the loops in each of the recesses not yet engaged with a tie. Furthermore, with the strain of expansion or contraction appreciably distributed to and divided between all of the loop connecting portions 1, the material of which the rack is constructed need not be highly resilient. It is also to be noted that the curvature of the loops at the front thereof, as well as of that of the portions 1, is of relatively large radius so as topermit more ready bending or flexing of the rack sections during the expansion or contraction of the rack.

In the present embodiment of the invention, I combine with the rack member as a unitary part thereof, a backing plate l6. The plate is of elongated shape in conformity with the longitudinal dimension of the rack, and the latter is afiixed at one end to the plate by means of the fastening 9 preferably in the form of a rivet which extends through an eye l8 formed at one extremity of the rack wire. To allow of the relative longitudinal movement of the other end of the rack, the extremity of the wire thereat is slidably engaged in the bearing l3 which is here shown formed by slitting and upsetting a portion of the plate so as toform a strap 2|. Desirably the end of the rack wire engaging the bearing I3 is bent to form a loop 22 with the opposite faces thereof positioned and caused to bear against the strap and plate whereby rotation or twisting of the rack in the bearing is prevented. The plate is preferably formed with apertures 23 to facilitate the attachment thereof to a wall or the like by fastening means such as the screws 24.

To insure gripping of the ties by the loops in such manner as to avoid wrinkling or creasing thereof, the loops are preferably so formed that only the portions of the loops at the open end of the recesses will engage the tie,.the intermediate and rear portions being spaced apart to avoid contact with the tie. This form of the loops also facilitates the ready and smooth insertion or withdrawal of the tie in or from the recesses. Desirably also, a portion 26 of the rack wire between the eye l8 and the nearest loop is bowed outwardly to form a convenient handle for gripping the unit when the latter is detachably mounted on the wall or the like.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, an elongated resilient sinuous strip defining a plurality of substantially abutting coplanar loops adapted to receive and resiliently clamp therebetween a plurality of neckties and being expansible or contractible longitudinally, means to support said strip at one portion thereof against longitudinal displacement in the plane of said loops, and means mounting another portion of said strip for longitudnal movement in said plane whereby expansion or contraction of said strip may be effected toward and from said fixed portion.

2. In a device of the character described, a backing plate, a longitudinally expansible and contractible sinuous strip forming a plurality of coplanar loops having one end adjacent said plate and the other end extending transversely therefrom, means securing one end of said strip to said plate against relative movement, and guide means securing the other end of said strip for longitudinal movement to permit the expansion or contraction of the strip between said first and '40 second securing means.

HENRY FREY. 

